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Colts turn in disappointing dress rehearsal

Stephen Holder
11:34 p.m. EDT August 23, 2014

Indianapolis Colts Andrew Luck scrambles for a big first down just before halftime against the Saints. Indianapolis hosted New Orleans in their third preseason game of the year Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium.(Photo: Mike Fender/ The Indianapolis Star)

INDIANAPOLIS – Seeing how the third preseason game is generally referred to as the regular-season dress rehearsal, does that mean the Colts should be counted on to drop passes, make errant throws, miss countless routine tackles and show a general sense of listlessness when the season begins?

If Saturday night's performance in a 23-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints was a true depiction of what the Colts will be when the curtain rises on the season Sept. 7, then the Colts need to dramatically alter the current script.

Nowhere were the concerns bigger than the overall lack of offensive execution. One week after demonstrating their offensive firepower against the New York Giants, the Colts' offense was dreadful, the starting unit eking out just 10 points on six possessions, including settling for a field goal after earning a first-and-goal from the Saints 1-yard line in the second quarter.

Most surprising was the uneven play of quarterback Andrew Luck, who looked out of sync and out of sorts.

Luck finished 10-of-18 for 103 yards, but his handful of overthrows, underthrows and other assorted misfires were both unusual and alarming. His lone interception, on a deep out intended for tight end Coby Fleener, never had a chance to be completed. It fell squarely into the hands of safety Kenny Vaccaro, who was playing well underneath Fleener.

"Not a very good rehearsal," Luck said during an in-game interview. "We never really got into a rhythm and missed some throws that I'd like to make.

"It was great to get in the feel of things, to have the week of preparation, going into the locker room and coming out. Obviously we didn't perform as well as we would like. But we'll get to see the film and get a lot of work in, get ready for the next preseason game and Week 1."

Luck's problems were only exacerbated by his unreliable pass protection, with right tackle Gosder Cherilus — arguably the team's most dependable lineman — getting beat twice by edge rushers.

The first-half disparity between the Colts and the Drew Brees-led Saints was stark. New Orleans rolled up 288 yards in the first two quarters, the Colts a mere 132.

Interestingly, this is the game in which the Colts' new-and-improved offense was to finally be displayed for the first time.

Receiver Reggie Wayne made his preseason debut after last season's knee injury, catching two passes that were both overturned by penalties. He was joined by T.Y. Hilton, who sat out last week's game against the Giants. And running back Ahmad Bradshaw joined Trent Richardson in the backfield for the first time since last September, adding another playmaker to the mix.

But even with all those pieces in place, the offense seemed to get nary a jolt.

Maybe it's not all as troublesome as it appears. The Colts didn't often spread the field, something they did with success in the Giants game. And they opted not to make use of the no-huddle offense that has helped Luck develop the rhythm he seemed to lack on Saturday night.

Perhaps offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton was just playing things close to the vest, something players have pointed to throughout the preseason.

In any event, the carnage was not limited to offense.

The starting defensive unit showed a disturbing aversion to tackling. The problem was widespread, with notable whiffs by Bjoern Werner, D'Qwell Jackson and Vontae Davis. Jackson in particular had a tough outing, getting beat for long gains in tough matchups with Jimmy Graham and Marques Colston, while blatantly missing a pair of tackles.

The series of missed tackles all led to first downs, gains that kept drives going and kept the Saints on the field. While matched against the Colts' starting defense, New Orleans had scoring drives of 80, 80 and 83 yards.

A bright spot was the play of the secondary, with cornerback Greg Toler continuing to play inspired football as he has throughout training camp and in the preseason. And safety LaRon Landry turned in a couple of memorable plays, batting down a ball on a throw down the seam.

But after Thursday night's preseason finale in Cincinnati, the Denver Broncos loom in the much-anticipated season opener.

That's two more weeks of rehearsal. The Colts, it seems, could use it.